In 1993, Creator/{{Tecmo}} decided to [[FollowTheLeader try their hand at the whole]] {{RPG}} thing. The result was ''Secret of the Stars'', a ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' clone with a [[ClicheStorm by-the-numbers]] plotline.

Ray, a young blond boy growing up on a tiny island, learns that he's actually [[TheChosenOne an Aqutallion, one of the warriors destined to defeat]] [[BigBad the evil Homncruse]]. After his BelovedPeasantVillage [[StuffBlowingUp goes boom]], he sets out to find the other four chosen warriors: [[WhiteMagicianGirl Tina]], [[TheBigGuy Cody]], [[BlackMagicianGirl Leona]], and [[TagalongKid Dan]]. They then must pass a series of tests to prove their worth as Aqutallion Warriors, unlock their true potential, and gain the strength to defeat Homncruse and his [[FourIsDeath four generals]].

Aside from the five chosen children, there are eleven adult heroes known as the Kustera who form their own, separate team. The Kustera are basically a [[WestCoastTeam secondary team]], with a few areas that only ''they'' can enter (just as how there are areas only the Aqutallion can pass). There's also a village that Ray establishes as a new Hometown right after losing the first one, for all the {{Heartwarming Orphan}}s and his friends and allies to stay at in their spare time.----!!This game contains examples of:

* AerithAndBob - If the five heroes' names aren't proof enough of this, there's the eleven Kustera: David, Ryu, Ben, Andy, Arthur, Jubei, Murray, ''Shark'', Evelyn, Kathy and Beth.* AllThereInTheManual - The fusion spells requirements.* ArtificialHuman - [[spoiler:Homncruse.]]* BalefulPolymorph - One of the heroes is turned into a lion, and actually travels with you for a time while stuck like this. [[spoiler: It's Cody, not Leona.]]* BigDamnHeroes - At one point, you are rescued from a {{Mad Scientist}}'s lab inside an already erupting volcano by a guy in a biplane. It was already hot enough inside that you were passed out.* BlindIdiotTranslation - And how!** "Homncruse" is very likely supposed to be ''Homunculus'', in keeping with the [[spoiler:Artificial Human tag above]]...** We also have Trool, Galuda and Sourseris, three random monsters, and the boss "[[KrakenAndLeviathan The Clarken]]". * BlowYouAway - Cody, who in a rare {{Subversion}} is actually the team's MightyGlacier.* CatsAreMean - Played straight with Cat Boo.* CombatPragmatist - You can be this during one boss battle. You are in [[FisticuffsBoss a boxing match]], the boxing gloves you must wear suck, but you only need to wear them to START the battle. As soon as you start, you can equip your riot gun and shoot him in the face.* CombinationAttack - Both the heroes and the bad guys. The most useful ones are Devistate and the elemental swords combos.* ComplexityAddiction- Aside from the boxing match noted above, the villains in this game must have a kidnapping complex or something. You have to rescue Tina from bandits dressed like the mafia, Cody (the person-turned-lion-turned-into-a-gold-statue) from a circus performer, and you have to save Leona from... an empty warehouse below a random rich person's house. Note that the villains' main goal in life is to kill you so you can't stop the BigBad.* ContemptibleCover* DamselInDistress - Both Tina and Leona have to be rescued before joining. In Leona's case, she's literally ''kidnapped right before your eyes'' right before she can join you ''just'' so you can save her. [[spoiler: And ''that's'' just a matter of finding the right warehouse, rendering the whole thing utterly pointless.]]* DisguisedInDrag- To get into LadyLand, your male heroes have to don [[PlayboyBunny Bunny Suits]].* DoomedHometown - Well, when you live on a volcanic island [[spoiler:that houses someone who basically wants to destroy the world out of ''spite'']], what did you expect?* FantasyCounterpartCulture - The island of Jabon. Take a guess what it's meant to be. [[spoiler: Japan, of course]].* FireIceLightning - The three elemental swords.* FiveManBand:** TheHero - Ray** TheSmartGuy - Tina** TheBigGuy - Cody** TheLancer - Leona** TheChick - Dan took this role despite being a male* FlatCharacter - Everyone. The manual tries to give them ''some'' personalization, but... your team gets very, very few lines of dialogue in the game. Definitely not enough for any CharacterDevelopment.* FlyingSaucer - [[spoiler:There is one under your town and it's big enough to carry it.]]* FourIsDeath - The BigBad's four followers. It's even referenced in their names in the Japanese version.%%* FragileSpeedster - Leona.* FusionDance - Used by some of the Mooks.* TheGuardsMustBeCrazy - Need to get into that big fancy town, but you're too young? Pay some guy with a jackhammer, tunnel under the wall and slip inside. Then you can talk to the guards and they'll treat you just fine.* GuideDangIt - To build a boat, you require a golden nail. Which you find stuck inside the wall of the builder's house. The only hint you get is the apprentice builder in your town saying "his boss used to use nails like that", but that still doesn't give you any idea where on the house to check.* HelloInsertNameHere - You can rename all the main characters, at any time you want.* HyperactiveMetabolism - Bread and plum-plums are roughly as effective as healing spells for the first portion of the game, and are perfectly usable in combat. You can even have one of your friends stick a loaf of bread into your mouth for you!* AnIcePerson - Tina's speciality, aside from playing TheMedic until you get Dan.* InCaseYouForgotWhoWroteIt - Just like any Tecmo game that wasn't ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'' or ''VideoGame/MonsterRancher'', really.* TheInfiltration - [[spoiler: Bosen did it to get information for the Aqutallion.]]* InterfaceSpoiler: You can't Fly By to any towns on the upper part of the floating continent, which hints that [[spoiler: the whole area will be destroyed.]]* JackOfAllStats - Ray.* {{Joshikousei}} - Tina.* LetsPlay - Though incomplete, this [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YkoiQUOiXI playthrough]] of the game is rather humorous, and also shows some of the better points in the game's favor.** "Die, follower of Homncruse! [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments I think I'll just]] [[TakeYourTime have a quick nap though first...]]** There's [[http://lparchive.org/Secret-of-the-Stars/ a complete one]] by Kaizer Mazoku.* MadScientist - There is one living in the volcano next to your DoomedHometown.* [[spoiler: MagicFromTechnology]]: At least some of it.%%* MightyGlacier - Cody.* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast - [=BadBad=]. [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyV X-Death]] was [[{{Egregious}} worse]], but...* OneWingedAngel : [[spoiler:Homncruse.]] Also, surprisingly, some of the Mooks.* PlayboyBunny - The Bunny Suit. There's also Evelyn, the 'bunny thief' and one of the Kustera.** There are also the many bunny girls that are usually found in "cafes".* PlayingWithFire - Ray's element of choice.** Dan's offensive spell is called [[StuffBlowingUp bomb]].* ReverseMole - [[spoiler: Jaguar, who was actually Bosen.]]* ShockAndAwe - Leona's affinity for lightning.* SquishyWizard - Dan.* StuffBlowingUp - Dan's specialty - aside from being a {{heal|ingHands}}er, he has powerful, non-elemental 'Bomb' spells.* TagalongKid - Dan.* TomboyAndGirlyGirl - Leona and Tina.* {{Ungrateful Bastard}}s - The Mayor of Decatas and his followers; after you [[spoiler:let them move into your village]], they proceed to [[spoiler:take over and kick you out of your own home]].* WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway - Dan technically isn't an Aqutallion; he's a Wiseman whose purpose is to help unlock the others' powers, can't upgrade to an advanced class, and can't join in on combination attacks.** HeartIsAnAwesomePower - Rather than elemental-based magic, he just blows up all your enemies at once, and can also heal everyone with a single spell.* YouGottaHaveBlueHair - Tina; Leona has pink hair while Dan has purple. The ContemptibleCover changed this to pink, orange and red.----